Advancements in space travel have made manned space flights more realistic for a larger variety of people. In the past, space missions had crewmember sizes that were much more generic. It has been standard that all members were relatively the same size and weight. In space travel today and as it is expected to change in the future, crewmembers are becoming more varied and people of many shapes and sizes need to be accommodated. Crew seats need to conform to crew sizes ranging from the smallest possible, for example a 5th percentile Japanese female in shirt sleeves, to the largest possible, such as a 95th percentile American male in an inflated space suit.
Crewmember comfort is of course a concern. But more importantly, the support and safety of the crewmembers throughout take-off, flight, and landing are the most critical of concerns. Current crew seats are a one-size-fits-all configuration. This arrangement does not provide sufficient support for crewmembers through all phases of the flight, ascent, zero-g, descent and landing.
Support of the crewmember in the seat during take-off, flight, and landing are a critical concern for manned space travel, especially when commercial space travel is on the brink of becoming more mainstream. Crewmember support is especially important during launch and re-entry phases of the flight when the forces on crewmembers are the greatest. The more complete the support of the crewmember's body during any phase of the flight will reduce the likelihood of injury to the crewmember throughout the mission.